He’s faced myriad obstacles — illness, the death of loved ones, countless challenges, but — like the Energizer Bunny — he keeps going and going.
Few things seem to slow him down. Of course, the person with that kind of energy is Las Vegas’ Chris Martinez, whose works have benefitted many.

After an off-and-on discussion that began more than six months ago, the Las Vegas City Council approved a resolution at Wednesday’s regular monthly meeting in support of the state’s cities that can support refugees.

By a unanimous 4-0 vote, the Council passed Resolution 18-04 by voting in favor of a consent agenda. A copy of the lengthy resolution, which calls for the city to symbolically support New Mexico cities that are better equipped to house refugees.

The Literacy Council of Northeastern New Mexico, a division of the Las Vegas Arts Council, will be hosting its 10th annual literacy fair on Saturday, Jan. 27 at Sala de Madrid on the Highlands Univeristy campus, Eighth Street and University Avenue, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The theme for this year’s event is a Dr. Seuss Celebration, and the tag line is “Read Here and Read There—Read Everywhere!”

Gov. Susana Martinez signaled Tuesday she is not going quietly into her last year in office, opening a 30-day session of the Legislature with a State of the State address that touted issues she has pushed throughout her administration and steeling herself for one last showdown with Democratic lawmakers.

Senate Democrats said Tuesday that New Mexico’s future looks bright -- partly because it doesn’t include outgoing Republican Gov. Susana Martinez, who also struck a combative tone at the start of the 30-day legislative session.

“There’s a new day on the horizon for the state of New Mexico,” said Sen. Howie Morales, D-Silver City, who delivered the response from his caucus to Martinez’s final State of the State address.

The New Mexico Senate, moving to meet a tight deadline, on Wednesday approved a new nurse licensing compact to avoid what one lawmaker described as a health care crisis.

But several senators raised concerns as the bill sped through the Legislature that the compact might diminish nurses’ rights by ceding too much power to an out-of-state board about licensing in the profession.

Oil and gas industry revenues pay a huge share of the money that goes into the state budget. And lobbyists for big oil companies pay a huge amount of campaign contributions to New Mexico politicians.

An analysis of lobbyist expense reports filed in recent days with the New Mexico Secretary of State’s Office shows oil companies dominate the list of the largest donors to campaigns and political committees since last October.

RATON — A group of prominent friends, including a key Zimbabwean opposition leader and a Texas-based investor and philanthropist, was heading to a ranch in the U.S. state of New Mexico when their helicopter crashed and burned in a remote area, killing five people aboard.